Officials work to make I-4 construction zone safer

The changes are intended to help stem crashes on the nine-mile stretch of highway from State Road 44 to U.S. Highway 92.

By PATRICIO G. BALONApatricio.balona@news-jrnl.com

Florida transportation officials have started removing roadside barriers in a crash-prone construction zone on Interstate 4 to make the road safer for drivers and more accessible for emergency workers.A Florida Department of Transportation consultant on Tuesday said the changes are intended to help stem crashes on the nine-mile stretch of highway from State Road 44 to U.S. Highway 92, especially on the eastbound side. Between May 1 and July 31, the Florida Highway Patrol investigated 84 crashes there. Travel through that area raised the ire of Volusia County Councilwoman Pat Northey, who described her commute as driving “through cattle chutes.”But that will change as construction barriers will be placed farther from the roadside and the shoulder will be raised for a planned 10-foot paved shoulder, said Steven Wigle, vice president of Parsons Brinckerhoff, an Orlando consulting firm representing the transportation department.The shoulder will run the length of the construction zone and eventually to Interstate 95, where the work is headed. The changes should take about four weeks, Wigle said.“In some areas we will completely eliminate the barriers, and in some areas we will keep them,” Wigle said. “We believe this will make it safer for motorists and reduce traffic backup in case of accidents.”The center barriers will remain in place, Wigle said.Another safety measure includes the placement of mile marker signs every 0.2 miles so motorists can more easily direct law enforcement and emergency personnel to their locations, Wigle said.Volusia County Fire Services Division Chief Tim Martin,Daytona Beach Fire Lt. Michael Harvey and Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Robert Asbill said the paved shoulder will make their jobs a lot easier. With barriers in place, troopers and firefighters have had to navigate through stopped traffic to reach crash scenes. The shoulder also will come in handy to move crashed vehicles to help alleviate backups and delays, Asbill said.Asbill suggested FDOT officials consider putting in screens on top of the center lanes to block motorists' views on the other side of the road. He said during crashes motorists slow down to watch what is going on or stop to take pictures.